sidewall cracking

[Duck2010]

I have a 2012 Hyundai genesis 4.6 that has 6,780 miles Hyundai bought the car new for me on 12-13-2012 .I just made my 7,500 miles service about a week ago and it want go in until 2 weeks from now. today while I was cleaning the car I started noticing some cracking on the sidewall on 3 of tires. I did get on my knees to see if the back side of the tires had the same and they all have the same problem .How can one tell if the cracks are merely cosmetic in nature or something more serious (actual damage to the rubber)? Or is this just something that I have to take to the dealership , who I'm guessing will just tell me to get new tires ASAP. has anyone else had this problem?

 

[mtrot]

I have a 2012 Hyundai genesis 4.6 that has 6,780 miles Hyundai bought the car new for me on 12-13-2012 .I just made my 7,500 miles service about a week ago and it want go in until 2 weeks from now. today while I was cleaning the car I started noticing some cracking on the sidewall on 3 of tires. I did get on my knees to see if the back side of the tires had the same and they all have the same problem .How can one tell if the cracks are merely cosmetic in nature or something more serious (actual damage to the rubber)? Or is this just something that I have to take to the dealership , who I'm guessing will just tell me to get new tires ASAP. has anyone else had this problem?

Does yours have the Michelin OE tires? I would think Michelin would not want to have tires with sidewall rot out there with that few miles.

As I just bought a 2012 4.6 with 4200 miles, I think I'll take a look at my sidewalls as well.

 

[Duck2010]

Does yours have the Michelin OE tires? I would think Michelin would not want to have tires with sidewall rot out there with that few miles.

As I just bought a 2012 4.6 with 4200 miles, I think I'll take a look at my sidewalls as well.

Yes, they are the stock Michelin OE Tires
they look like spider webs
I clean the car once a week unless we have a ton of rain. I don't spay any kind of tire cleaner on it. I clean the tire with a cloth not the tire brush. I take really good care of my car. even my 2010 genesis on the night I gave the car back to Hyundai the ISG agent said this car could still pass for being brand new

 

[homeofstone]

Tires are warranted by the tire manufacturer not the car dealer or car mfg. You should take your car to a Michelin tire dealer and have the tires checked for safety. If the tires are defective they will be replaced free except for balancing.

 

[brfatal]

Dry rot usually doesn't happen until tires are ~4 years old if they are on a car or installed properly.

What is the DOT number on them? The last 4 digits are the production date (week and year). Either way, these should be warrantied by either the tire maker or Hyundai.

 

[thebells]

I have a 2012 V6 Tech Pkg with I think the same tires (3.9k miles). I do not have the cracks that you indicate. My car was manufactured in 6/12 and the tires have a DOT number ending in 0212.

 

[Duck2010]

Build date is 11-20-2011 and the last four DOT 05 11

 

[Mark_888]

Can you post some pics of what your tires look like?

 

[Duck2010]

It has a name for it:

The surface cracks that occasionally appear have been called many things; Weather Checking, Weather Cracking or Ozone Cracking. These small cracks typically develop in the sidewalls or at the base of the tread grooves. Depending on their severity, they may be cosmetic in nature if they don't extend past the rubber's outer surface, or may be a reason to replace the tire if they reach deep into the rubber.

Because all tires are made of rubber, all tires will eventually exhibit some type of cracking condition, usually late in their life. However, this cracking can be accelerated by too much exposure to heat, vehicle exhaust, ozone and sunlight, as well as electric generators and motors (that have armature brushes). For example, a vehicle parked outside instead of in a garage will constantly expose its tires to the rays of the sun, increasing the likelihood of cracking. Additionally, some sidewall cracking has been linked to abrasion from parking against a curb, or the excessive use of tire cleaners/dressings that inadvertently remove some of the tire's anti-oxidants and anti-ozone protection during every cleaning procedure. Interestingly enough, when sun exposure or excessive cleaning is the cause of the small cracks, the sidewall of the tire facing outward will show damage, while the sidewall facing inward is rarely affected.

The anti-aging chemicals used in the rubber compounds are more effective when the tire is "exercised" on a frequent basis. The repeated stretching of the rubber compound actually helps resist cracks forming. The tires used on vehicles that are driven infrequently, or accumulate low annual mileage are more likely to experience cracking because long periods of parking or storage interrupt "working" the rubber. In addition to being an annoyance to show car owners, this condition often frustrates motor home and recreational vehicle owners who only take occasional trips and cannot even park their vehicle in a garage or shaded area. Using tire covers at least minimizes direct exposure to sunlight.

 

[mtrot]

Duck, I just checked my tires and I see no signs of cracks. I'd definitely take those to a Michelin dealer to check out.

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[StangKiller]

Put some tire wet on those bad boys and keep 'em lubed up!